Chapter 15 The Truth

"Takashi please just wait," Katara called after him.

"Why," he yelled.

"So I can explain," she replied.

"Explain what exactly Katara," he yelled. He stopped suddenly and turned to face her.

"Do you know that I came back here only for you, only to ask you to marry me, only to have you turn me down?"

"Well what did you expect Takashi," Katara yelled, "I mean it's not like you ever let me in on your plans, what, did you just one day think 'hey maybe I'll propose to Katara she's got nothing else better to do then get married, I mean what was I supposed to do Takashi, just swoon into your arms, just instantly fall in love with you." She turned away from him. She walked a few feet away sighed and sunk down into the snow. Takashi slowly followed her and silently sat down beside her.

"I'm sorry," he sighed.

"Don't be," she whispered, "if anybody should be sorry, it should be me." Takashi gazed at her questioningly.

"You are a good man Takashi, and anyone should feel lucky to have you want to marry them."

"But….not you," he whispered sadly looking away from her. She grasped his hand tightly and gazed at him tears slowly forming in her eyes. With her other hand she gently pressed the bracelet into his palm.

"I'm so sorry Takashi, please forgive me." He nodded sadly, tears streaming down his face.

"It's because of him isn't it," he whispered, "you've been in love with him all this time haven't you." She averted her eyes from his but did not answer him. He turned his eyes to the bracelet in his hand.

"I should have known by the way you've always talked about him, I should have seen it," he tuned back to her, "love is blind I guess."

"I'm sorry Takashi," Katara repeated.

"Don't be," he said. He quickly stood and wiped the tears away from his eyes. Katara did the same.

"What will you do now Takashi," she asked.

"Well," he sighed, "I think I'm going to head home."

"You mean North," she questioned.Takashi nodded.

"I'm sure my family misses me," he looked to Katara sadly, "I will miss you though Katara."

"I'll miss you too Takashi," she sighed. She drew him close and gave him a warm hug. Takashi wrapped his arms around her tightly, eagerly accepting the farewell embrace.

Aang arrived just in time to see Katara and Takashi wrapped in one another's arms.

"No," Aang sighed, "I'm too late." He couldn't think, he couldn't breathe; all he knew was that the woman he loved was in the arms of another man. It was too much to see he couldn't take it he had to leave. He turned quickly and ran back in the direction that he had come, back to the village and back to Sokka and Katara's hut. He hastily entered and ran to his room. Myoshi and Sokka leapt at his entrance

"Aang," Sokka cried out, "What happened with Katara, what's wrong?"

"Nothing," Aang cried. He grabbed his carry on and began shoving things in.

"Aang what are you doing," Myoshi questioned.

"I'm leaving the South Pole," he said simply.

"Why," Myoshi asked softly coming up to him and grasping his hand in hers. Aang paused briefly and gazed up into her eyes.

"Because, there is nothing left for me here," he said softly. He pulled his hand away from her and continued to pack. Myoshi gazed at Sokka imploringly.

"So what, you're just going to leave," Sokka said a hint of anger in his voice, "your not even going to say goodbye to her, are you really willing to just wreck your friendship like that?"

"SOKKA, don't you get it," Aang cried, "I don't want to be her friend, it's not enough anymore….I can't stay here and see her with someone else… it's just too hard." He threw his carry on over his shoulder and headed to the door.

"Well that's just great Aang," Sokka yelled, "at the hint of difficulty, you just bail." Sokka glared at Aang, "you know I only wish that we had it that easy, I wish I could just fly off and not deal with anything too!" Aang did not say a word; he continued to face the door. Sokka just stared at him, hoping that he would just turn around.

"Do you even realize what you are doing," Sokka continued to yell, do you even realize that you are going to break her heart if you just take off." Aang just shook his head.

"Wow Aang," Sokka said softly, "you're right, you must not want to be her friend cause you certainly are not acting like it."

"Tell her I'm sorry," Aang sighed. He exited without a second glance.

"Sokka we have to stop him," Myoshi cried. Sokka only shook his head.

"His mind is made up Myoshi, and apparently so is my sister's…there is nothing we can do now."

A Few hours later

Katara quickly ran in the direction of her house. It had been hard for her to say good bye to Takashi but now it was over. As she ran she thought back to Takashi's words, 'you've been in love with him all this time haven't you?' She had not replied to his question but in her heart she had come to realize that the statement was true. For the past few days she had been so confused by her feeling's for Aang, but now for the first time everything seemed clear. She was in love with Aang and had been since before he left the South Pole, she had just been so afraid to admit it even to herself. Afraid perhaps of losing the friendship that she had come to cherish, but maybe they could be so much more, maybe friendship was the first step into something even greater.

She happily flung open the door and bounded in. She headed straight for Aang's room. Myoshi and Sokka followed her. She found it empty not just of Aang but also of all his things. She gazed around the room in puzzlement.

"Hey Sokka where is Aang, why is all his stuff gone?"

"Katara," Sokka gazed at her remorsefully, "what exactly happened this morning with Takashi and Aang."

"Well, they almost fought over me," she said guiltily, "but I managed to calm them down. Takashi was really upset we had a real long talk and he's actually okay with the fact that I turned him down….he decided to go back North."

"Okay, okay, just hold on a minute," Sokka said, "let me get this straight…you did just say that you turned Takashi down right…I did hear that correctly right."

"Well… yeah," Katara said, "why?"

"Oh Katara," Myoshi said sympathetically.

"What," she asked curiously, "what's going on."

"Katara," Sokka said softly, "Aang...he thought…well he must have misinterpreted something that he saw he thought that you had accepted Takashi's proposal…Katara…Aang left." Katara's world literally came crashing down around her.

"What," she cried, tears forming in her eyes.

"He left Katara," Myoshi repeated tears forming in her own eyes, "he was so upset about you and Takashi."

"No…no, Aang wouldn't…he wouldn't just leave…not without saying goodbye, he just wouldn't. I don't believe you."

"Katara…," Sokka tried to comfort his sister.

"No, Appa is still here, I'll prove it," she ran out the door.

"Katara wait," Sokka cried. He started to run after her.

"Sokka let her go," Myoshi grabbed him by the arm; "she has to see for herself." Sokka nodded and draped an arm around Myoshi's shoulder.

Aang stood atop Appa's saddle securing his bags and supplies. He then made his way to the reigns of the beast. He paused a moment gazing out to the distant horizon.

"Well," he sighed, "where should we go Appa?" The bison groaned in discontent.

"You're right," Aang sighed, flopping back onto Appa's soft fur, "nowhere is far enough." Appa groaned again. Aang leaned up on his elbows.

"What am I supposed to do Appa, just sit back and watch her marry that…that water bending…Ahhh…I DON'T CARE…if she wants him she can have him." He quickly sat up and grabbed hold of the reigns.

"Yip, Yip!" Appa groaned in annoyance and refused to move.

"APPA," Aang yelled, "YIP, YIP!" Despite Aang's insistence Appa lay down upon the snow and refused to move.

"Appa, what are you doing boy," Aang cried. He started to yank on the reigns in an attempt to get the beast to rise. Appa reacted by tossing his head and causing Aang to fall forward. Aang was flipped over the top of Appa's head with the reigns still wrapped around his wrists. He was left dangling face to face with the ornery beast.

"Appa what did you do that for," Aang asked angrily. The beast growled at him impatiently. Aang turned his face from the bison in disgust.

"Ugh, Appa what have you been eating?" The bison whimpered at his comment.

"Sorry boy," Aang chuckled. He carefully worked his hands lose from the reigns and fell to the ground in front of Appa. The bison sniffed at him. Aang reached up and pet him gently on the chin.

"What's the matter boy," he asked, "don't you want to leave?" He sighed heavily thinking back to Katara once more.

"Either do I," he whispered softly, "but we don't have a choice boy, it's either this or stay here and be the best man at Katara's wedding, and I know you don't want to torture me, do you boy?" The bison reluctantly stood.

"Thanks boy," Aang sighed. He air bended himself onto Appa's head and grabbed the reigns.

"Yip. Yip."

Katara ran to the place where Appa had been staying, but when she got there, all she found were footprints and a large imprint in the soft snow where the bison had previously been sleeping. Her heart sank to the bottom of her stomach. He couldn't be gone, he just couldn't be.

"No, no ,no," she muttered. She slowly sank down upon the flattened snow. "Why would you leave," she whispered, "why would you leave me before I could tell you?" She silently gazed up into the pale blue sky. She could feel the warm tears flowing down over her smooth and rosy cheeks and she did not attempt to wipe them away. As she sat lost in her grief she suddenly felt a hand fall gently upon her shoulder. She turned abruptly to see Aang standing behind her. She stood quickly and wiped her eyes.

"What are you doing here," she asked indifferently, trying desperately to hide her emotions, "shouldn't you be miles away by now?"

Aang just gazed at her, unsure exactly of how he should answer her.

"In my hurry to leave, I sort of forgot…Momo," he smiled nervously. He turned his eyes to the snow covered ice below his feet.

"I see," she said impassively, "so…you go out of your way to come back for Momo, but you make it a point to not say good bye to me," her voice faltered slightly, "you didn't even tell me that you were leaving, or why you were leaving, or if you were even coming back at all." Her tears began to fall again she could not stop them but she no longer cared if he saw them. Aang held his breath at the sight of her tears he couldn't stand to see her so upset and knowing that he was the cause of it was absolutely unbearable.

"Katara," he whispered looking down and away from her, "I…I didn't mean to hurt you, I just….I didn't want to get in the way of you and Takashi…if I stayed…I"

"If you stayed maybe you would have known that there wasn't going to be a me and Takashi," she yelled the tears now streaming down her face. Aang looked up to her in surprise and confusion.

"Katara are you saying that you and Takashi are not getting married?"

"Why did you leave," she demanded coming right up in his face.

"Why uh…I," he responded in surprise and nervousness.

"Why did it bother you to see me with Takashi?"

"Well I...I...I."

"And that kiss…" she suddenly remembered, "you said it meant nothing…were you lying?"

"Katara," he said backing up from her slowly "I…I can't answer them all at once."

"Oh and the spying, and the little hints of jealousy, and the…"

Aang suddenly pulled her into his arms and kissed her passionately upon the lips. He wrapped his arms around her tiny waist and pressed her closer to him. Katara was taken by surprise but immediately gave into the kiss. She wrapped her arms around his neck and drew him closer, deepening the kiss. He brought a hand to her face gently caressing her cheek and wiping the tears from her eyes. He pulled back slowly and gazed lovingly into her cerulean eyes.

"Katara," he said softly, "I love you…I have for so long."

"Aang," she whispered softly, meeting his gaze, "why didn't you ever tell me?"

"I can't tell you how many times I've tried," he replied, "how many times I've wanted to." Katara smiled at him warmly, she brought her hand to his face and lightly brushed her fingers across his jaw. Her touch sent chills down his spine.

"I love you too," she whispered softly, "I realized just how much when you came back." Aang smiled at her.

"You love me," he replied. Katara smiled at him and nodded.

"I love you so very much Aang." Aang smiled at her lovingly, he leaned in and kissed her lightly on the lips.

"Well it's about time you two admitted you were in love."

Aang and Katara quickly turned to see Sokka leaned up against Appa with his arms crossed. Myoshi ran up beside him a few moments later.

"What did I miss,"Myoshi asked slightly out of breath.

"Oh nothing," Sokka sighed sarcastically, "just these two love birds in a lip lock, you know, nothing, NEW."

"SOKKA," Katara laughed sending a ball of snow in his direction. Sokka quickly ducked. The snowball whizzed right past Myoshi just barely missing her. Myoshi turned to Katara in surprise, Katara grinned sheepishly.

"Oops sorry, Myoshi," she sighed.

"Hey Katara do you think you could at least try to avoid taking my fiancé's head off with your crazy water bending," Sokka smirked.

"Hey Sokka I didn't do it on purp…."

"Wait a minute," Myoshi interrupted Katara. She turned to Sokka her eyes wide with intrigue, "What was that you just said?"

"What," Sokka smirked, "that Katara nearly took your head off?"

"No after that."

"What that she's a crazy water bender?"

"No before that."

Ohhhh," he sighed sarcastically, "that she should avoid trying to hit you next time."

"SOKKA!"

"Oh you don't mean that little part where I called you my fiancé do you, cause you know that was just a slip of the tongue, you know how it is," he smiled at her mischievously. Myoshi smiled back at him.

"You are such a jerk," she whispered.

"Yeah but I am you're jerk," he smiled, "and you're stuck with me." Myoshi laughed at his response.

"So what do you say," he questioned, "do you think you would mind putting up with me for the next Oh fifty or sixty years?" Myoshi smirked at Sokka.

"Oh I think I'm up to the challenge," she sighed. She leaned in and kissed him lightly.

"WooHoo," Sokka cried out suddenly, "do you hear that Aang," he yelled running over to him, "I'm getting married!" Myoshi just shook her head in amusement.

"Congratulations Sokka," Aang smiled.

"Katara," Sokka exclaimed, "she said yes, she said yes, oh yeah I'm getting married!"

"Sokka," Katara sighed her eyes tearing up a little, "I'm so happy for you." She pulled him into a tight hug.

"Thanks Katara," Sokka replied. Aang came up beside Katara. Sokka turned to him and smiled.

"You," he said pointing a finger at Aang. Aang gazed at him questioningly.

"I take it you plan on sticking around now." Aang glanced over at Katara and gently wrapped an arm around her waist.

"I would say that staying is defiantly the best option," Aang replied.

"Good," Sokka said.

"Unless of course Katara talks me into taking her somewhere exotic for our honeymoon,"Aang grinned in her direction, "you know, where there's no snow." Katara turned to him instantly.

"Aang are you…are you saying?"

"Katara," he said softly, "I have loved you for so long, you are everything to me; there is no one else in this world that I would rather spend my life with then you." She gazed at him her eyes welling up with tears. Aang smiled, he gently wiped her tears away.

"I want to fall asleep with you in my arms every night, I want to wake up to your beautiful face every morning, I want my children to have your eyes and your smile, I want to be next to you when I'm an old man…Katara…I want to marry you." Katara took a deep breath.

"Oh Aang," she whispered wiping a tear from her eye, "I don't know what to say, I…I…I mean …"

"How about saying yes Katara," Myoshi called out, "seriously what are you waiting for?"

Katara glanced over at Myoshi; she then turned back to Aang and smiled.

"Of course I will Aang," she said softy. Aang grinned.

"Really?"

"Really," she smiled. Aang threw his arms around her and spun her around. He kissed her excitedly on the cheek. Sokka rolled his eyes.

"Leave it to Aang to show me up," he sighed.Myoshi gazed at him and shook her head in amusement.

"Sokka," she smiled, "shut up," she quickly pulled him forward and kissed him. Sokka just chuckled.

The End

Epilogue

Sokka and Myoshi got married a few months later, and a year after that they had a daughter named Ky-Li

Aang and Katara later married in a large celebration held in the South Pole. All the world leaders, including Fire Lord Zuko, were invited as it was the marriage of the Avatar. After the wedding the two left the South Pole and traveled the world. Two years after their marriage Katara had twins, a boy named Liam and a girl named Trinity. Liam was discovered to be a water bender like his mother and Trinity was an air bender like Aang. Shortly after the birth they returned back to the South Pole. Here they set up a permanent home because Katara wanted her children to grow up knowing their family. Every once in a while, however, Aang would whisk Katara away to some far off place with no snow, just for a change of scenery.

If you liked this story don't forget to read the sequel When Life gives You Fluff. It's still a work in progress. Ecanus